Satellite passive microwave sea-ice concentration data set intercomparison using Landsat data

Abstract. We report on results of an intercomparison 10 global sea-ice concentration (SIC) data products at 12.5 to 50.0 km grid resolution from satellite passive microwave (PMW) observations. For this we use SIC estimated >350 images acquired in the visible–near-infrared frequency range by joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) United States Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat sensor during years 2003–2011 2013–2015. Conditions covered are late winter/early spring Northern Hemisphere winter through fall freeze-up Southern Hemisphere. Among investigated four European Organisation for Exploitation Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Ocean Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF) Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI) algorithms SICCI-2 OSI-450. stress importance consider across entire instead focusing overall mean differences take into account known biases PMW products, e.g., thin ice. find superior linear agreement between 25 50 both hemispheres. discuss quantitatively various uncertainty sources evaluation carried out. First, depending number mixed ocean–ice pixels classified erroneously as ice only, our is found be biased high. This applies some data, promotes overly large fraction underestimation renders overestimating particularly problematic. Secondly, main based truncated 0 % 100 %. demonstrate using non-truncated values, where possible, can considerably improve SIC. Thirdly, investigate impact filters often used clean up final spurious over open water due weather effects along coastlines land spillover. Benefiting possibility switch or off certain OSI-450 quantify spillover filtering have shown paper.